bigmike
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Location: Punta Banda
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Charles Schwab Debit Card Problems
Hello,
I opened a Schwab Bank account due to Bank of America charging the 3 1/2 percent international fee. It is getting to be a terrible experience as
almost every time I use the card to withdraw cash here in Baja my card is blocked,
I have called in so many times it is frustrating and I am looking to change to a different bank that does not charge any fees if I can't get it
resolved.
1. If you have Schwab have you had the same problem?
If so did you get it resolved and how?
2. If you Bank elsewhere that does not charge you an ATM fee or any other fees and do not have trouble using the card in Mexico, please advise.
Thanks for your help as I have talked to Supervisor etc at Schwab and the claim it is due to the fraud in Mexico and they can't put a block on the
account so I can use it with no problem.
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Bajahowodd
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Go see Chuck.
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Cliffy
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CC companies will tell you they are trying to protect YOU from false charges but they are really trying to protect themselves. My current Visa card
has been stopped twice out of country and a couple times inside the USA (I fly a lot), even when notified I was moving around. Told them next time it
happens I quit them.
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willardguy
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well that sounds about right, I too ditched BofA because of the new fee's and after a couple misfires getting my schwab account, my debit card arrived
norte and my son's bring it down easter. woohoo! and now it won't work? t y p i c a l 
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MitchMan
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Are you calling Schwab ahead of time to let them know when you are in Mexico?
Are you sure the password/NIP is the correct one?
Try HSBC in Baja, that is bank I use. no problems so far.
FWIW, when I opened my Schwab checking account, I had to first open a Schwab broker account, then open the Schwab checking account connected
to/related to the broker account. The debit card relates to only the checking account. The way I fund the checking account is to physically go to
the local Schwab office, give them a personal check for the amount that I want to deposit into the BROKER account, then after a few days, I go online
and transfer money from the broker account into the checking account.
I use the debit card at HSBC bank ATMs to withdraw pesos from the Schwab checking account.
Also, it doesn't hurt to know what the allowable maximum withdrawal is ...and there are two limits...one is a total maximum withdrawal per day and
second, there is a separate limit per individual ATM withdrawal. You need to know those two limits so that you do not exceed them when making ATM
withdrawals.
[Edited on 4-10-2014 by MitchMan]
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Mula
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Seems like even if you keep Schwab advised every now and then they will shut you off. . . . so just make sure they have a contact number for you while
in a foreign country that you will receive the message prompt and be able to call them to get it opened again.
Even tho' I have used my Schwab for 6 years in Baja, last winter I was shut down. When I called, I asked : there haven't been any USA usage in over
2 years and now you see a Mexico charge and shut it down? There has only been Mexico withdrawals and charges in all this time and it is in my file
that this is where I live. . . . Oh, I see now. Sorry and thanks for calling.
I love the Schwab card!!!!!
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Jack Swords
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http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=72358#pid8870...
We used the Schwab card in La Paz this winter until it was blocked. It was blocked just as we were getting money for the trip home. Schwab was
informed we were in Mexico, we had put $10,000 in the account. It did work for a while, atm fees were waived. BUT, having no access to our funds
totally negated the reason for having the no-fee card. Luckily we had our tried and true local bank's atm card and it worked flawlessly as it has for
the past 10 years. Nope, not worth it in my opinion. The point is to have access to your money for living expenses and being shut off leaves no
alternatives. At least have another bank's atm (or more) for back-up. Don't mind paying a fee for a service provided, but fee-free for no service
makes no sense.
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bajajudy
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Try First Republic.
They reimburse ATM fees
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Lee
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| Quote: | Originally posted by willardguy
well that sounds about right, I too ditched BofA because of the new fee's and after a couple misfires getting my schwab account, my debit card arrived
norte and my son's bring it down easter. woohoo! and now it won't work? t y p i c a l |
Make sure CS knows you'll be making international withdrawals.
I first used my debit card in San Clemente at a BofA and it worked fine. In Todos, it was blocked and a message ''account is invalid'' popped up
at a ATM.
Wife made the call to CS, and it's worked fine ever since.
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bigmike
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Just so you all know, Schwab knows I am in Mexico, I use my card maybe once or twice and it is blocked and I have to call in. Now they are telling me
it is Santander bank that is blocking me, so now I have changed to using HSBC as of today, I will know try in a week or so and find out if it works
without being blocked. They also say it is Visa blocking for fraud prevention.
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chuckie
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It doesnt seem that long ago, that the "Charley Swab" card was being touted as the do all end all card for Baja....I got chastised at that time for
saying the fees were chump change and part of the cost of living in Baja. Thats still a fact. Its way better to have a reliable card, with a reliable
institution, than to have the hassle, even one time, stated by some of these folks. Having to jump through all these hoops,start accounts, make calls
etc etc defeats the purpose of a "no bad days" time in Baja.....Aint for me, I'll stick with my Debit card from my Home bank, pay the fees....Chump
Change......
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mrfatboy
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In the last nine months, I been to Cancun, puerta vallarta , barra de navidad , and San Felipe twice. I never have had a problem with using ATMs. I
use all ATMs (bancomer, HSBC, banamex, Santander, etc) without a problem.
I now stay away from bancomer whenever possible because some how that bank does not play nicely with CS on getting fees waived automatically.
There was one time my card was blocked because I entered the wrong password a couple of times. The keypad was worn off. Still just user error.
However, my wife has her own CS card linked to the same account and we were back in business. No biggy.
Maybe a back up card on the same account would help. They are completely two different cards linked to same account. The other benefit is you get
twice the daily limit of withdrawals if need be. 
[Edited on 4-11-2014 by mrfatboy]
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bigmike
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Yes, my wife has her own card and sometimes they are both blocked and sometimes just one is. Hopefully this will get resolved.
[Edited on 4-11-2014 by bigmike]
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msteve1014
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigmike
Yes, my wife has her own card and sometimes they are both blocked and sometimes just one is. Hopefully this will get resolved.
[Edited on 4-11-2014 by bigmike] |
I would not count on it. After our local bank was taken over by first interstate bank, we went with it. They put a hold on every check I wrote over
$10,000. Never called to ask us. Just before I had had enough, Wells Fargo took them over. We went with them. Have never had a problem. Maybe just
luck, but I think the banks do what THEY want, and YOU can not change them.
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bajaguy
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by msteve1014
Maybe just luck, but I think the banks do what THEY want, and YOU can not change them. |
I use USAA for banking/bill pay and a VISA, never had a problem in Mexico. Also use my Chase/Southwest VISA....no foreign fees. For general banking we
use our local credit union.....where we can actually walk in and talk to the manager or president..........and we always tell them when we will be in
Mexico
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bajagrouper
Senior Nomad
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Mood: happy and retired
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I have had a CS debit card for years and never had a problem except for one time I did not call and advise them I would be in Mexico, called the toll
free international number and all was fine...
But yesterday I tried using my Citi card at the Puerto Vallarta Banamex branch and was denied without explanation, I went into the bank and asked and
she told me to go into the Mega next store as my card did not have the radio chip and the banks ATM was new and only accepted the new type
cards.........So maybe the OP is running into these new ATM's...........
I hear the whales song
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willardguy
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hmmm.....sounds like the best bet is, when the card is working, grab a grip load of peso's and stash em under the mattress!
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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When a fiduciary can FLOAT several hundred million dollars for a few days it adds up fast. Grab a calculator and float $300,000,000 for a year at 2%.
Of course this is an unpleasant result because of trying to protect clients against fraud. They handle the proceeds with disgust.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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bigmike
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Just wanted to give you an update, Schwab told me in my last conversation that I had been using Santander Bank to get money and that they were putting
a hard block on my card, that is Santander and to try using other banks. Well I have used the cards 3 times since then at Banamex and HSBC and the
cards have not been blocked, so maybe that was the problem. I will give an update as I get a little more time using the cards.
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Mula
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Boy, anytime some one says Capitol One to me, I run the other way.
Maybe they have changed in recent years, but I got burned once by them and that was it for me.
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